Join Rubin Margules and the ZOA Brooklyn Region in our 15th Annual Mishloach Manot Campaign for the IDF. The Israeli Defense Forces, have a great devotion and commitment to defending the people and land of Israel. Israel security and safety are ensured only thru the daily diligence, courage and unsurpassed strength of the IDF. We need to remember them and show how much they are appreciated. What better way than thru a warm personal greeting and a Purim package.

Last year, thanks to you, ZOA Brooklyn Region and its friends distributed over 9,000 Mishloach Manot packages at army bases throughout Israel. This year, once again, we need your support to continue our legacy of bringing Purim to our Israeli soldiers.

Rubin Margules, President of the Brooklyn Region of the Zionist
Organization of America, last year led the group's annual Purim
Mishloach Manot Mission for Israeli soldiers. Mission participants
included his daughter Rachyl, Reya Zegel,with daughter Michelle, and
Judith Shapiro co- chairman of the NYC Jewish Community Relations
Council. Rabbi Moshe Zwick of the Shulamit School for Girls and his
lovely wife Chaya joined us on our trip to Kever Rachel, and to the
soldiers stationed there; after which we continued on to Kiryat Arba,
Hevron and the Maarat Hamachpela.

The trip was the culmination of a Mishloach Manot
campaign coordinated by the ZOA Brooklyn Region that involved a numerous
North American Jewish Schools, and many individual contributors.

The
success of the Mission owes a large debt to the Sar-El office of the
Israeli Army whose logistical support for our mission was critical.
The group visited dozens of Israeli Army bases throughout Israel,
ranging from main base camps to small outposts on cold wind swept
hilltops in Yesha (Judea and Samaria), distributing literally thousands
of Shalah Manot packages. We also had the privilege to visit and
distribute Mishloach Manot to Israeli and American soldiers jointly manning
a Patriot Missile Battery in Jaffo.

The purpose of this Mission was to show the Israeli soldiers that we
care, that they are not alone, and that we are all part of the Jewish
culture. It succeeded well beyond our expectations.

It was our
intention to say thank you to the soldiers, but they in turn could
not stop saying thank you to us, for coming and for caring. The young
defenders of Israel sincerely expressed their thanks and appreciation
verbally as well as with song and dance. This was a mission to show
Achdus (oneness) with our brethren in Israel who are not only
guarding Eretz Yisroel, the land of Israel, as one of the letters
stated, but also the nation of Israel.

The knowledge that they have
thousands of friends and admirers in around the world, some of whom
were willing to travel to Israel and join them in these difficult
times, was a source of strength to them and an overwhelming emotional
experience for us.

In addition to the Mishloach Manot each soldier
also received an individual letter of friendship and support from a
student in a Yeshiva or a message from an adult who participated in
the project. The letters were as eagerly received as the packages.
Many of the soldiers immediately responded to the message received,
and hopefully a correspondence will develop.

Special thanks to the following Jewish Schools, their faculty and student
leaders that participated in this project and whose students were
taught Achdus, that the strength of our people is its oneness: